


Don't Go

by When_the_Day_Met_Night21



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, S2 spoilers for sure, yes things besides the trailers cuz i've let myself be a bit of a spoiler whore oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 13:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17060459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/When_the_Day_Met_Night21/pseuds/When_the_Day_Met_Night21
Summary: "We're against people we can't beat or outrun." Chase seems ready to leave the Hostel when he starts having doubts and Gert tries to put up a fight to make him stay. Take on how this scene could go with other spoilers in mind.





	Don't Go

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I've wanted to attempt writing this ever since we got this scene in the trailer and me being me was like, oh angst!! Which I'm for if it's good angst. So naturally I wanted to attempt writing it. I actually can see this scene going down a few ways, and feeling pretty certain based on spoilers it's really gonna end with him walking out on the group. (If you've seen the ep summaries, you know what I'm talking about) Which is gonna break my heart. Tho obviously, this only happens if this scene happens after the party happens since they show him dancing with the group... Either way, Ariela has said this was one of her favorite scenes to film so it makes the mind reel. Cuz either it takes a positive turn or bb girl just really loved acting out the angst out with Gregg. lol 
> 
> So with that in mind, this is me giving us the happy ending to this scene that we might not on the show, if it takes place after the pARTY. Also, I kept predicting there would be first ILYs exchanged during this scene, but knowing details about the ep before the one this scene takes place in made me wonder if it could happen sooner so I toyed with that a bit.

_Tonight needs to be perfect._

Gert was still getting ready for the Quinceañera that they had planned for Molly's birthday that night as a group. Naturally they had to improvise a lot. Normally they were careful with their money that Alex would acquire by working for Darius, but tonight had been an exception. They had spared no expense to do what they could to make the Hostel look as festive as possible with lights and pink balloons. Gert, Karolina and Nico had been in charge of decorations and the cake. The boys were tasked with setting up the music system. This night was all about Molly and it had to be just right. After everything the girl had been through lately, she at least deserved a proper birthday party.

That said, Gert also saw this as a chance for the older teens to experience Prom since it was highly likely that they would never get to go to a real one. Being wanted and all that. Not that she totally minded though. Gert had never felt at home at Atlas Academy and she wasn't going to pretend that she ever had now. It was certain that people like Eiffel would have tried to make that night a living hell for her anyway.

No, Gert preferred this scenario so much more. Sure, it wasn't the real thing, but she had the people that mattered to her in attendance instead. Her friends. Her boyfriend. She still couldn't get over that fact sometimes. Chase was her _boyfriend_. Hers.

After the last couple days with Gert almost dying due to her connection with Old Lace deepening, the couple had also grown closer. Chase had been there for her, truly concerned every step of the way. She remembered their conversation that night after the big scare and how he had admitted to her that he had been worried sick. That he didn't want to imagine living in a world where she wasn't around. "I have something I want to tell you," he whispered.

"What's that?"

"I realized today that if you had died without hearing it, it would have been one of my biggest regrets ever." Chase's warm hazel brown eyes shone in the moonlight as he looked at her. "And I promise it's not just because of what happened that I'm saying it. It's not. I've been thinking about saying it for a little while now actually. I was going to this morning in bed before you got sick." Gert was about to ask him what he was talking about until Chase fessed up. "I love you, Gert."

"You do?"

Gert had grown more comfortable with Chase and their relationship that she knew by now that he cared deeply about her. But loved? He _loved_ her? She had to be dreaming. But she wasn't. The boy was still there sitting beside her in her parent's basement. This was really happening.

"I do."

Chase Stein loved Gertrude Yorkes.

_OH MY GOD._

Gert took the time she needed to process this before responding. She had always dreamt of this happening, but never believed that it actually would. But here in this moment, she felt ready to say it. "I love you too, Chase."

"Really?" Chase had that goofy grin of his that made her want to giggle every time. It was as if he couldn't believe that she was really saying it back to him. Gert still didn't understand how he could be any more insecure than she was about their relationship, but he was sometimes.

"Really."

Their eyes stayed locked as Chase slipped his hand into hers and held onto it tightly. "I promise that I'm not gonna let anything like this happen to you ever again, Gert. Not if I can help it, at least."

"Chase, you can't make a promise like that. You know that." After all, every day was becoming a life-or-death struggle for them and the others. They were lucky every morning they woke up to still be alive with the constant threat of Jonah and his nefarious plan looming over them.

"Maybe not, but I still mean it."

They'd had a fair share of arguments by now about Chase's protectiveness over her that Gert knew there was no need to push the issue. She knew that Chase got that she could take care of herself. That she wasn't as scared as she used to be about these things. He just naturally wanted to keep her safe. That's all. "That's what being in a relationship is, right? Wanting to be there for the other person and caring about them? _Taking_ care of them?" She had admitted all that was true, and one way or another, they had reached a compromise.

This latest scare made Gert realize that there was something to be said in having another person worried about you, with Chase making sure that everything that could be done to save her _had_ been done. He'd told her about how he argued with Dale about not leaving her side, not until he knew she was okay.

_He really does love you._

It was no wonder why in that moment the two of them felt that pull they had towards each other. Their lips met and it was probably the sweetest kiss that they'd had in Gert's recent memory. She remembered them falling asleep there together.

It had been a perfect moment. One that she would always remember. The night that Chase Stein had told her that he loved her.

Gert looked at herself in the mirror one more time as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes and took a moment to appreciate her appearance. She realized she would never feel quite as effortless about it as she assume Karolina must have felt about hers, but she forced herself to push that thought out of her head. There was no need to compare herself to the blonde anymore. Karolina was her friend, not her competition. 

_And I never should have seen her that way in the first place._

Gert reminded herself of her excitement for the party. She saw this as chance to raise everyone's spirits after a terrible string of days in a row. They were gonna celebrate Molly and it was going to be magical. They were going to be just six normal teenagers tonight. No fighting, no worrying. Just some nice, carefree fun.

_It will be fun!_

Gert looked around when she heard Karolina wishing Molly a 'happy birthday' and watched as she saw the blonde pull the younger girl into a hug. She couldn't help grinning at the sight. 

"Everyone ready to party?"

She looked over and saw Alex standing in the doorway, wearing a snazzy pinstripe suit with a big smile in place.

"Sure thing." She looked past him, hoping that her boyfriend wasn't too far behind. "Where's Chase?"

Alex shrugged. "He said he had to take care of something before getting ready for the party. Didn't ask him what. Assumed it was a surprise for Molly."

Gert scowled at the bespectacled boy. "He never told me about anything like that."

She just got another shrug for a response. That was helpful.

"I think I'm gonna go check in on him then."

Gert made her way towards their shared room. She was concerned when she heard loud footsteps pacing back and forth, and when she opened the door, she found Chase moving around in a hurry. She took notice that he wasn't dressed up in the tux that Gert had told him as a joke (but not really because it was priceless) to wear when they were rummaging in their closet for party clothes. Instead, he was wearing his beige trench-coat and jeans and had his backpack sitting on their bed. He put whatever he had in his hands before zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder. He turned in her direction, and when his eyes met hers it was as if he had been punched square in the stomach. Clearly, he hadn't been meant to be caught.

As she stood there with the door open, Gert kept her hand resting against it, as if to give her strength. "Chase..." There was no other way to read this situation, but she needed that to be wrong. He couldn't be leaving right now. "What are you doing?"

"Gert..."

"Are… are you really leaving? Right now? Are you serious? Where are you..”

“Gert, please listen…”

Her gaze wandered past him and she spotted something white sitting on the bed. He had left a note. "Wait, you were just gonna go without saying goodbye?" Her eyes dropped as she felt the tears forming in them. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. But it was. 

"I..."

Gert already knew the answer, but it didn't make the blow any easier to take. "But why? I don't understand..."

“I just don’t think I can do this anymore, Gert."

“Do what?” Gert gulped, unprepared for the direction this conversation was going to go. 

“ _This_. Living in this place. Having to fight all the time. Maybe we should consider giving up and striking a deal with our parents after all."

Gert shook her head. "What are you talking about? Give up? Chase, look, I get it, okay? These last few days have been tough for all of us. I _know_ it has. I almost _died_ , remember?"

Chase recoiled. "I know that," he replied, quietly. "Trust me, that's something that I will _never_ forget. Ever."

"So... what's your big plan then? You're going to make a deal with Pride? And then what?" Her frown deepened. He had to have a plan. He wouldn't just abandon them like this unless he did. She had to keep telling herself this so she didn't fall to pieces.

"I... don't know. But I think being out _there_ instead of in _here_ is gonna be what we have to do to fix this mess."

"But Chase, we're supposed to be a team. We can do this another way. You don't have to l-"

"Gert, the fight last night showed me how much we've been way in over our heads with all of this. Jonah and Pride have been a step ahead of us for a good while now. What if being on the inside gets us the information that we need?"

"I don't want you to do this, Chase." She almost felt like she was on the verge of begging him not to go. Surely he would reconsider this bad idea before it came to that.

"Gert, please, understand why I wanna do this. We have to take them off-guard. It's the only way we'll win. I don't know what else we can do. We’re against people we can’t beat or outrun.”

Gert took a step forward, hoping that he could read the torment she was currently feeling through her expression. She got what Chase was saying, she understood the plan, but that didn't make it okay. "But we'll try," she said, as she felt tears flowing down her cheeks. "Please, Chase. Stay." She placed her hand on his cheek.

The look on Chase's face simply read as guilt, and for a second Gert thought he had changed his mind. "I want to, Gert. I do, but I feel like I have to do this. My dad is so involved with Jonah at this point that if I do this, I'm positive I can get him to talk to me. I can get us the answers we need."

"No." She lowered her hand back to her side. Gert didn't like Chase mentioning his father. She had heard enough stories by now about the awful man while they laid in their bed and she would find Chase appearing restless. She didn't like how he seemed so conflicted over someone who had willingly almost killed his son without hesitation. She understood enough why and how much Chase still craved that one day that he would have a bond with his father, but it still didn't sit well with her. It never would.

"Gert..." Chase reached out to touch her face and she flinched. His jaw clenched before letting his arm fall. "I'm doing this because if I can do anything to make sure that I never have to experience what I did last night ever again, then I will. If we hadn't got you back, I..."

"Please, don't do this," she pleaded one more time.

"I love you, Gert." Chase pressed his lips against her forehead. "But I have to do this."

Gert stood there in shock momentarily, unable to think or move. His mind was set, and obviously no matter what she said, he was going through with this. She stared at him, longingly. She wished she could listen to his reasoning and accept it and tell him that she loved him too. But she couldn't.

"Fine," she snapped. "Then go. Clearly nothing I say can convince you otherwise so don't let me keep you any longer."

"Gert, it's not like that. I-" He went to grab for her hand, but she pulled back so that he couldn't. "Please, Gert. I don't wanna leave without you understanding why I have to do this. Please don't be mad at me."

"I understand, Chase." She motioned towards the bed. "You were going to leave us with a note. You clearly knew I was going to be upset and now you're trying to convince me it's a good idea when it isn't. Or maybe you're trying to convince yourself. All I know is that my opinion or the group's mustn't matter if you're weren't going to tell us that you were doing it."

"Of course it does-"

"No, it doesn't. Because if it did, you would at least consider not doing this because I asked you not to. Do I get any say in this at all?"

"Gert-"

"I guess not." She realized that this conversation was only going in circles at this point. It was useless to keep asking him to stay. He wasn't going to. "You know what? I think I'll just leave. I have a party that I'm supposed to be at and I'm late for it. You remember the one, right? The one for Molly? You remember _Molly_ , right?"

"Gert..."

"I'm gonna go be with our friends. People that we can actually _trust._ Bye." And with that, Gert left the room. She was blinded by the tears that ran freely down her face, her wall finally caving in. 

He really was leaving. And she was letting him.

When Gert made it to where the party was being held, she found the others in the swing of things. Music blaring loudly as the four teenagers talked animately amongst themselves. Molly caught sight of Gert and smiled until she seemed to realize her sister wasn't in a particularly good mood whatsoever. She mouthed 'What happened?' To which, Gert shook her head. "So, what are we doing first?"

Everything went by in a blur for a little while. She was trying to have fun. After they'd sung 'Happy BIrthday' to Molly and cut the cake, the teenagers started goofing around on their makeshift dance-floor. Unfortunately, Gert decided after a while that she didn't feel up to it and chose to sit at the table and watched them instead.

_So much for tonight being perfect._

She sat there in thought. Wishing that she could get over this pain. Or really, that Chase would show up. She didn't want him to be gone.

"Ahem."

_No way._

Gert turned around and there he was. In his tux wearing a sheepish smile along with it. "Hey."

_Hey?_ That's seriously all he had to say right now?

"Chase, y-"

"Gert, I'm not leaving. I'm not gonna do that to you or the others. I won't." He stepped forward with his hand stretched out. "Will you dance with me?"

"I don't know if I'm-"

"I don't expect you to forgive me for scaring you like that any time soon, but please, Gert, let me do this for you."

Gert stared at his hand in front of her briefly before tentatively grabbing it. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know."

"But honestly, I'm just glad you're still here."

They swayed in place for awhile and Gert saw the others watching them out of the corner of her eyes. It was weird but amusing to have an audience. 

"I really was being a coward when I wrote you that note, you know." Chase rested his chin on top of her head. "I knew if I saw you, I'd never leave. The second you walked out that door, I knew I was staying."

"Yeah?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" His arms wrapped around her more securely. "Of course I didn't want to leave you. Any of you." He cocked his head so that she could see his face. "But especially you."

Gert's heart fluttered. She was still upset that he had been ready to leave her like that, but then... he was still here. He hadn't left. He was professing his love to her once again and making it clear how much she truly meant to him.

"We'll figure out another way. You're right, we can do this-"

"I love you." 

Gert couldn't help the words from slipping out. 

"I love _you_ , Gert."

She leaned forward and kissed him unabashedly. This earned them some 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' from their personal peanut gallery. Which normally would have made Gert stop and tell them to shut up, but instead she smiled in the kiss, on the verge of laughing. She was too relieved to be snarky right now. After a little more making out, she then buried her face into Chase's neck and whispered, "Thank you for coming back to me."

Gert felt the smallest pressure on the top of her head and realized Chase must have kissed her there.

_It actually worked out._

Suddenly, the soft music that they had been swaying along to turned into a more up-tempo beat. She looked over to see the group all moving around frantically in the center of the dance-floor. It looked so fun that she wanted to join. "Wanna go?" she pointed in their direction.

"Oh, um, you really don't wanna see my dance moves, Gert. They're..."

"Tragic?"

"Hey! How do you know?"

"Chase, you may try to forget middle school, but I sure don't. You can't escape your past. Not with this crew."

Chase smirked. "I guess so. But you're the one asking me to dance knowing I can't, so... no teasing."

"I'll try..."

The couple made their way over to their friends and started bopping in place. It was certainly a sight to see. Alex was flossing while Nico twirled around almost like a gothic ballerina. Molly just swayed around in place, most likely trying not to trip over her jaw-dropping pink dress, looking happy that everyone was having a good time. Meanwhile, Gert found herself in between Chase and Karolina, moving to the beat. And like she said, she tried hard not to laugh as she watched her boyfriend move out of time with the music. 

_Ah, well..._

She still loved him anyway. 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, hopefully you all enjoyed that. You'll have to let me know. I wasn't sure about that ending at first just cuz, but what can I say? If they did something like that on the show, I would die. lol 
> 
> On another note, less than 3 days until S2 is released!! Yay! Have one more possible fic idea in the works that I want to post before then so hopefully that happens. Thanks for reading. :)


End file.
